Encouraging Thoughts

So I was on my way to having lunch with friends yestarday and I see a car full of white peope who actually stop and talk to me, this is unusal. I walk up to them and start chit chatting theyre here on vacation and theyre going Pendjari, the usual, then they ask if Im english, ha ha its either the accent or my butchered french or a combo of both. Probably both. No Im american, where do you live in the USA? Oh not far from Montreal. This is the easiest way to describe Vermont, as if you say not far from NYC they think south, which isnt the case. A girl in the car lives about an hour outside of Montreal! She knew about Vermont!!!!!!!! WHOA a first. Even to some americans I have to describe where Vermont is, Ive been asked by some people, before Peace Corps, Vermont, is that a town in New York? Or Vermont is that in Canada? Nope its that little one squished between New York, and Maine, along with New Hampshire, which everyone else also seems to forget about. She asked if I lived close to Burlington, no I dont but relatively speaking I live closer to Burlington than I do Montreal sort of close. But I had to run to get to lunch or I was going to be late.
When I get to lunch I meet some other of their friends who are traveling from Parakou, and I get to chit chat with them for awhile I tell them about Peace Corps and that its a development oranization run by the goverment they asked if I was receiving any benefits besides the expirence for being here and I thought to myself YES!! Its about the single coolest thing I could add to my resume that makes people say, whoa thats impressive. The boost Peace Corps will add to my resume, lets face it, is quite substantial. Then they ask what you have to do be in Peace Corps, college education or many years expirence. They ask about my projects I get to tell them how cool mud stoves are, Im running out of people to tell this too unfortunately, They think this is a good and worth while project that Im doing, I then get asked how long Im here for I say 2 years. Ive beginning to realize that other development organizations do not have the same time commitment, some people its a year, others a few months. Theyre impressed, and this makes me feel encouraged. Then they got to the question of the day so what do your parents think about you doing this? My parents, entire extended family and friends were 100 percent supportive of my joining the Peace Corps. My family in particular has never told me that I couldnt do anything if I wanted to try something new and not follow the norm they backed my decision regardless of what they inwardly thought. The amount of support I receive from everyone encourages me to continue doing good work, so thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I enjoy my time here but sometimes Im not going to lie there are tough days but you all help me get through it dust myself off and go and find another woman who needs a mud stove.